Honoring those we lost on September 1 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Ethel Waters Born October 31, 1896 — died September 1, 1977 Singer, actress, and entertainment pioneer. Waters rose from poverty in Chester, Pennsylvania, to introduce enduring songs including "Stormy Weather" and "His Eye Is on the […]
What happened on this day. These are the September 1 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1773 — Phillis Wheatley publishes the first book of poetry by a Black American On September 1, 1773, Phillis Wheatley’s Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was published in London. Kidnapped from West Africa […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 1 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Henry E. Baker Full name: Henry Edwin Baker Jr. Born September 1, 1857 — died April 27, 1928 Patent examiner, attorney, and historian of Black inventors. Baker spent decades at […]
Malcolm X “You can’t drive a knife into a man’s back nine inches, pull it out six inches, and call it progress.” — Malcolm X Malcolm X exposed the illusion of partial justice. His words remind us that true progress means full equality, not token change. Wear the history: Malcolm X — from the Black […]
Honoring those we lost on August 31 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Lionel Hampton Full name: Lionel Leo Hampton Born Apr 20, 1908 — died Aug 31, 2002 Jazz vibraphonist, drummer, pianist, bandleader, composer, and big-band innovator. Hampton helped make the vibraphone a major jazz voice after recording […]
What happened on this day. These are the August 31 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1836 — Henry Blair receives a patent for a cotton planter On Aug 31, 1836, Maryland inventor Henry Blair received U.S. Patent No. 15 for a mechanical cotton planter. Already recognized as the second known […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 31 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Frank Robinson Born August 31, 1935 — died February 7, 2019 Baseball Hall of Famer, Triple Crown winner, and Major League Baseball’s first Black manager. Robinson became the only player […]
Frederick Douglass “A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.” — Frederick Douglass Douglass understood that freedom requires vigilance. His words speak to the power and responsibility of self-defense and civic action. Wear the history: Frederick Douglass — from the Black Knowledge Wear collection.
Honoring those we lost on August 30 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Govan Mbeki Full name: Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa Mbeki Born Jul 9, 1910 — died Aug 30, 2001 South African anti-apartheid leader, journalist, intellectual, and African National Congress organizer. Mbeki organized rural workers, wrote influential analyses of […]
What happened on this day. These are the August 30 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1800 — Gabriel’s planned rebellion against slavery is thwarted On Aug 30, 1800, a severe storm disrupted an uprising planned by the enslaved Virginia blacksmith Gabriel and hundreds of co-conspirators seeking freedom. Informants exposed the […]